


Inchoate Bonds

by xPhoenixFlamex



Series: Dotted Soulmates [1]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Akaashi is very observant, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Bokuto Koutarou is a Dork, Multi, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Soulmates, Third Gym (Haikyuu!!), Training Camp, Tsukishima Kei is Bad at Feelings, Tsukishima Kei-centric, Tsukishima doesn't know what to do with volleyball or soulmates, well Kuroo is too but he's busy worrying that he ticked Tsukishima off
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-07
Updated: 2017-06-07
Packaged: 2018-11-10 11:56:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11126541
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xPhoenixFlamex/pseuds/xPhoenixFlamex
Summary: [Inchoate - not completely formed or developed yet.]Tsukishima Kei has three romantic soulmates that he has yet to meet.Not that he has time to think about it, with all of his conflicting feelings about why his teammates are trying when volleyball is just a club.Or why he can't seem to focus on anything other those three people from gym three who won't stop bothering him.





	Inchoate Bonds

**Author's Note:**

> This is my own soulmate AU, and it is a part of a series of stories based on this AU. If you are confused or unclear about it, first visit the page for this series before reading this. I did try to explain it all in here though.

Tsukishima had four dots. One yellow and three red.

‘Ke’, ‘Ko’ ,‘Ta’, and ‘Te’. Each hiragana was written in neat black inside each dot, hinting at the given name of each of his soulmates.

He knew that while two dots were the typical amount, there was no real limit to soulmates, and therefore it wasn’t particularly odd for one to have four dots. However, he knew that most people typically had one to two romantic soulmates, with the official average leaning towards the lower number.

Having three? That was pushing it.  
  
While Tsukishima didn’t really care about what others thought, it _was_ exhausting to always deal with the questions and the comments. The words themselves didn’t matter to him, but it was an annoyance and just overall inefficient to deal with them all. He purchase a soulband at twelve, finally put up with all of the comments. The black rubber bracelet fit snugly around his wrist, covering all of his soulmarks.

Well, he did let his one platonic soulmark show - a yellow dot, with the hiragana for ‘Ta’ written in black in the center. It showed through a hole that Tsukishima popped out of the bracelet, allowing that soulmark to be visible to the world.

He was met the match of that soulmark when he was young. A shorter boy than Tsukishima named Yamaguchi Tadashi, who had run into trouble with some bullies for some reason that Tsukishima never bothered to ask about. He had seen the trouble, and something in him grew uniquely annoyed. He hated bullies, and he probably would have stepped in without that feeling, but he noted how he felt personally offended when the bullies targeted _that_ boy in particular.

So he lashed out with his words, knowing that that would have more of an effect on the bullies than any blow. He had learned his adeptness with jabs and retorts at a young age, and knew well how powerful they were. Most kids his age were so thick that they didn’t realize that their punches or kicks couldn’t stick with a person and change them like a few simple words spoken with a certain tone.

But Tsukishima knew.

It would be later that he would touch Yamaguchi for the first time, the first contact he would have with the boy. He would always remember how his only visible soulmark burned fiercely hot - but still not hurt in the slightest. He’d never forget how Yamaguchi’s eyes widened as the boy standing across from him tried to stutter out some words.

How the feeling - the _connection_ \- Tsukishima had felt when he first saw the boy finally made sense.

Because regardless of soulmarks or if they had met before, the soulmate bond would still be present. It would be present until the day one of them should die, and perhaps even persist even then, when even their soulmark would fade.

Yamaguchi, he learned, was in the majority. He had two soulmarks, one yellow (Tsukishima) and one red (with the hiragana ‘Hi’ written in it). They were both each other’s first soulmate that they had come face-to-face with.

Tsukishima found it remarkably easy to love Yamaguchi in a platonic sense, and was surprised at the other’s boy’s ability to love him back. Tsukishima knew his personality wasn’t the best, but it had been ideal for keeping any annoying idiots - people not worth his time - away. He had never really considered how it might affect his ability to fulfil his destiny with his soulmate when they fell in love with each other, but it seemed now it would not be a problem.

Yamaguchi was shorter than him, with brown hair that partly stuck straight up and a countless number of freckles that dotted his face. He wore his heart on his sleeve, bit his lip when he was nervous, and hid behind Tsukishima if he was scared.

Yamaguchi met his other soulmate at Karasuno.

Yachi Hitoka, a shorter, blonde girl that was skittish to the fullest extent possible. Tsukishima didn’t think anything particularly special of her, but when he turned to look at Yamaguchi, he could see his platonic soulmate blushing while looking at her. He didn’t say anything, but when the girl introduced herself with her given name as _Hitoka_ , he suspected.

He observed the girl’s nervousness and anxiety since the moment she stepped into the gym. He saw her the next morning, and sighed, knowing that he didn’t exactly look _nice,_ with his height and outward demeanor. But he would try to hold back his sarcasm and comments for a few minutes, only because this was probably _Yamaguchi’s_ soulmate, and he didn’t want to mess this up for the other boy.

It was awkward and long, and took a lot of self-control on Tsukishima’s side. But he eventually discovered that Yachi _did_ have a red soulmark that had the hiragana for ‘Ta’, and he knew his assumptions were correct.

He brought Yamaguchi to Yachi at lunch, and not-so-subtly bumped the boy so he brushed against the girl. From the way both of their eyes widened and a blush appeared on their faces, it was clear they both had felt the burning sensation that indicated that _it’s them, they’re the one, don’t let them out of your sight._

Tsukishima scoffed at their behavior, and disappeared soon after to give them both a bit of privacy. It had been awhile since he had had lunch alone, but he didn’t particularly mind it. He simply put on his headphones and listened to music, blocking out the world as he started eating his bento.

He anticipated the next day to be similar, knowing that they would have to get acquainted. Hinata and Kageyama approached him, asking for more studying. Tsukishima however, was out of patience for probably the next week. He had done his kind deed, so now give him some peace, dammit. The last people he wanted to deal with right now were the freak duo.

So he dismissed them, but was surprised when he saw Yamaguchi enter out of the corner in his eye. He was alone, Tsukishima noticed. The boy first greeted him, and he nodded in acknowledgement. He was even further surprised when Yamaguchi told the other first years that Yachi was in Class 5 and could help them study, leading them to nearly run out of the class.

“I would have thought you wanted time alone with her,” Tsukishima admitted, moving his headphones to his neck and switching off his music.

Yamaguchi shrugged as he moved a desk closer to the blonde’s. “We have the rest of our lives to get to know each other better. Besides,” He said as he took out his own bento, “It’s not like she’s spending lunch alone. She’ll have Hinata and Kageyama to keep her company.”

Tsukishima scoffed, “I didn’t know you hated her so much that you’d make her resort to those imbeciles for company.”

Yamaguchi laughed, elbowing him, “You’re so mean, Tsukki!” He giggled.

Tsukishima remembered how he fell in love with his fellow-first year, and subsequently did it all over again.

* * *

Tsukishima never really thought the training camp would be anything special. How could it be? To him it was just wasting a week that could be spent doing better things than play countless practice matches, the vast majority they lost.

But from the moment he stepped inside the main building, something _felt_ off.

He struggled to maintain his focus, but without Yamaguchi’s warning, that grey-haired heavy hitter from Fukurōdani’s spike would’ve ricocheted into his face.

“Tsukki!” He heard his soulmate cry. He turned, hitting the ball away to avoid the collision at the last second. The force behind the ball was evident the moment it hit him, and he realized there was a slight chance that his hand would _bruise_ from the encounter.

_If Yamaguchi hadn’t warned me…_

Injured? No, from that angle the impact wouldn’t have done much more than sting or leave a mark that would be more superficial than anything. The worst he could imagine would be that his glasses broke, which would present a slight problem. He had packed an extra pair, of course, but they were an old prescription and would throw his depth perception off.

The boy who had hit the spike didn’t seem concerned at all. “All right! I’m so awesome!” He cheered, obviously excited. “Hey hey hey!” He shouted, and Tsukishima could _feel_ the pride radiating off of him.

Tsukishima hurried back over to Karasuno, and Yamaguchi looked at him, slightly worried. “You okay?”

Tsukishima nodded, eyes narrowing at the boy. He was conflicted, he _should_ feel annoyed or contempt for the ace of Fukurōdani, but he couldn't bring himself to it. Something… _something_ wouldn't let him hate him for the action.

He looked at the boy carefully, before his eyes turned to look at the setter of the team. There was something… _off_ about him too. Some sort of connection that Tsukishima felt he should know or easily figure out, but was just out a grasp.

He turned, not wanting to watch the game further. He needed to _focus._

He wasn’t able to shake the feeling, despite his efforts all day.

He learned the boy who nearly hit him was a third year name Bokuto Kōutarō, while his setter’s name was a second-year named Akaashi Keiji.

“They’re romantic soulmates, but aren’t dating,” Yachi told him, having received the information from Kiyoko, her own platonic soulmate. “Something about not wanting the others to feel left out…?”

Tsukishima’s eyes narrowed, wondering what could be meant by that. “Thanks,” He muttered, too deep in thought to properly thank her. She blushed, her face full of embarrassment, and scurried off over to stand by Kiyoko once more.

_Kōutarō...Keiji…_

His fingers absentmindedly brushed up against his soulband, lingering there for a moment as if he could feel through it to the soulmarks on his wrist. He suddenly was feeling more conscious about the ones with the hiragana for ‘Ko’ and ‘Ke’.

 _Could it really be?_ A small part of him wondered. Dared to hope.

He had already started to suspect that the owner of the ‘Te’ was Kuroo, despite not knowing what the third-year’s first name was.

He mentally scoffed at himself, removing his mind from those thoughts.

_Focus._

The third gym was where all hope for his focus disappeared.

He was already mentally off - stuck in the midst of his memories of Akiteru’s lies and his confusion about his team.

_Why are they all pushing so hard to change when it’s just a club?_

_When it will just bite you back?_

_“I was just wondering if you were going to practice anything on your own…”_

“Oh, hey, you. Karasuno! You with the glasses!” It took a second for Tsukishima register that the familiar voice was calling to him, and he stopped to turn. The doors to the third gym were open, spilling bright light into the dark outside. Kuroo and Bokuto stood there, and he realized it was the former who had called out to him.

“Would you jump some blocks for us?” Kuroo asked, giving him a mischievous look. Something stirred in his chest, and, for a moment, he was inexplicably struck dumb. It was like all words left him. So he defaulted.

He held eye contact with them before he adopted his overly-friendly tone. “Oh, actually, I'm done for the night.” He informed them. “If you'll excuse me~.” He bowed slightly in a way that indicated too much politeness.

“What?!” They both said together, taken by surprise by his actions.

“There's no point in practice spikes without a blocker!” Bokuto insisted. “Come on!”

_Why can’t I look at you?_

Tsukishima straightened up and glared slightly at the pair, annoyed at both them, and himself. “Why does it have to be me? Why not someone from Fukurōdani?”

He realized that it wasn't just the pair of them as Akaashi emerged from farther in the gymnasium, “There’s no limit to Bokuto-san’s spiking practice,” He informed Tsukishima. “So everyone runs away pretty quickly.” He made direct contact with Akaashi for a minute, before he could have sworn the slightly older boy’s eyes narrowed minutely.

“And I'm too busy whipping this guy into shape,” Kuroo pointed to something - some _one_ \- slightly behind him, and Tsukishima could just see a grey-haired boy who had to be Nekoma’s Haiba Lev, in all of his 194 centimeters.

“I said _I'd_ jump some blocks!” Tsukishima could hear the first year say weakly, and the blond nearly rolled his eyes. _Definitely sounds like you’re in the right condition to._

“Shut up!” Kuroo snapped, turning to face Lev more, “If you want to continue as a regular on Nekoma’s team, you need to actually be able to receive the ball!”

Lev groaned, and Kuroo turned back to gave Tsukishima. “He may not look it,” He started, walking towards Bokuto and pointing at the third-year, “but this guy’s one of the top five spikers in the country, so it'll be great practice.”

_That explains the force behind that stray shot earlier._

Bokuto smiled and straightened at the compliment, seemingly ignoring the vaguely insulting beginning part. Normally such behavior would make Tsukishima want to scoff, but strangely, he didn’t want to.

“So he somehow didn't make it into the top three, huh?” Akaashi inquired, and Bokuto’s eyes widened.

_He's...okay._

“Don't mind,” Kuroo said mockingly, and Bokuto turned to glare at his friends.

“Don't raise me up just to let me get knocked down!” Bokuto snapped.

“Besides, if you're a middle blocker,” Kuroo turned to look back at Tsukishima, and there was some sort of glint in his eyes, “you should practice your blocking a bit more.”

_“I was just wondering if you were going to practice anything on your own…”_

Tsukishima glared at Kuroo, before inwardly resigning to the fact that he would not be turning in so early.

He walked up to them, moving between Bokuto and Kuroo, who both moved to let him pass into the bright gym.

He quickly learned what Akaashi meant by how Bokuto’s spiking practices had no limit.

“One more!” Bokuto cried after each and every spike. It was annoying, loud, and _should_ make Tsukishima hate him coupled with the fact that he got past his block every single time.

But he still couldn't.

“Yeah!” Bokuto cheered after getting yet another spike past Tsukishima.

“You beat all of one blocker,” Akaashi informed his senpai emotionlessly as Tsukishima struggled to catch his breath.

“Shut up!” Bokuto snapped.

There was a squeak of rubber against the gym floors and Tsukishima looked up to see Kuroo standing there. “Well, how about two, then?”

Kuroo was sweaty, but his voice didn't betray fatigue of any kind. Yet when Tsukishima looked back at Lev, the boy was lying on the ground in a pool of sweat and volleyballs. He wondered if the boy was even _alive,_ until he saw the slow rise and fall that indicated one’s breathing.

“Here we go!” Bokuto called, tossing the ball to Akaashi.

“Four eyes, make sure you keep that straight in check!” Kuroo muttered to him right before they both jumped. He heard the familiar _smack_ of Bokuto hitting the ball, but this time it was followed by the sound of it being blocked as Kuroo moved to swiftly intercept it.

“Yeah!” Kuroo cheered as they both landed.

“Damn it!” Bokuto cried.

Tsukishima stared at the ball. _How did he know?_

“You know, four eyes, you're great at reading attacks, but…” Bokuto struggled to find the right words. “Your blocks are pretty weak. Your arms are so frail that I'm scared I'm gonna break them.”

Tsukishima glared, annoyed and slightly enraged at his words, as Bokuto continued, “You need to spot the ball like you mean it!” The captain finished.

He opened his mouth to reply, before a bit of red caught his eyes.

_Bokuto’s soulmarks. Three red dots._

_‘Ke’, ‘Ke’, and ‘Te’._

The first one had a black outline, and Tsukishima realized it must have been Akaashi’s.

_It fits with mine._

“The little shrimp is gonna hog all the glory.” Kuroo added, seemingly unaware of his thoughts. “You guys play the same position, right?”

When he turned to look at Kuroo he saw Akaashi looking at him with slightly widened eyes. He made direct eye contact with the boy for less than a second, and saw a question in them.

“I don't think that can be helped,” Tsukishima met Kuroo’s gaze, defaulting to his overly emotional voice that came with his sarcasm and insults, “The different in natural talent between me and Hinata is too great.”

It also came with his excuses.

_Let Hinata take the glory. I don't care. This is just a club._

_Why try?_

A memory of Akiteru.

Kuroo’s eyes narrowed at his words, and Tsukishima was grateful that a bunch of Nekoma’s teammates began to enter.

“Well look’s like I'll be in the way,” he excuses himself, ignoring Kuroo’s protests.

“Looks like you stepped on a mine, Kuroo-san.” Akaashi’s words filled his ears as he exited.

He needed to get _out._ He just needed somewhere quiet where he could _think._ Think about soulmates. Think about volleyball.

Think, _alone._

 _Damn it._ He inwardly cursed, realizing he forgot his knee pads.

He reluctantly turned back, heading to the first gym.

It was impossible to ignore his teammates’ practice, their _change._

_Why? How?_

He found himself looking at Yamaguchi.

_This is just a club. Why do you put so much into it?_

Memories flooded his mind. Akiteru crying in his room in the dark, not knowing Tsukishima was there due to the fact his face was buried in his pillow in an effort to conceal the noise of his sobbing.

_It's because you put so much into it that you suffer later._

* * *

The next day, he noticed Kuroo talking to Daichi and a few others during their break, and knew it was probably about him.

It didn't matter. Kuroo wasn't the one he wanted to talk to.

Well, he didn't want to talk at all.

He just wanted to _see._ And he did.

He saw Akaashi and Bokuto sitting together, enjoying their watermelon. Bokuto was talking with exaggerated hand motions, and Akaashi was looking at him with exasperation, but past that there was a ghost of a smile.

_Is that what romantic soulmates look like?_

He didn't know. His parents weren't soulmates, but rather two people who had lost their soulmates and were close enough to start a family together. His brother had one romantic and two platonic, but he was too distant with him to ask about it.

All too soon, break was over.

He stayed silent for most of the day, but that wasn't really unusual for him. He hardly started conversations.

“Doesn’t it bother you, Azumane-san?” He found himself asking the long haired ace as the sun began to set.

“What?” The boy asked, curious and slightly surprised. Again, Tsukishima was hardly one to initiate conversations, and atypically with Azumane.

“That feeling of immense talent creeping up behind you.” He clarified, imagining Hinata in his mind.

Azumane let out a bit of a chuckle, “Yeah, well...I guess I can say I’m not at ease.”

“I’m sure Hinata’s still obsessing over the title of ace.” He was goading the third-year slightly, but he needed to. He needed to see what drove their ace. Why _he_ tried to hard.

“That might be true,” Azumane admitted, “Maybe that’s why he said he had to change. But because of that, it seems that all of us got fired up, too.”

“If you’re not careful, Hinata might try to bite you again because he’s too focused,” He commented, remembering their match the other day.

Azumane looked confused at first, but then recalled what had happened. How they had both gone to spike even though the ball was clearly to the ace, and Hinata collided with him. “We’re in the same boat,” Tsukishima tensed up ever so slightly at his senpai’s words, “Our positions kind of make Hinata our rival, so we probably know better than others how much he’s grown from the baby bird he used to be.” Azumane began to take a few steps away, before pausing, a determined glint in his eye. “But I don’t plan on losing to him.” He added.  
_Why do you care so much?_

On the court he observed his team as carefully he did the other one. He saw their passion. Their desire.

_This is just a club, so how can you be like this?_

But then, when the ball was to Azumane but it was clearly in front of Hinata, he was surprised when the younger boy willingly forced himself to stand back and let the ace take the spike.

He curled his fist in annoyance.

He didn’t understand it at _all._

Unfortunately, they weren’t able to stay away.

“Hey, four eyes,” Bokuto came over to him, “Would you help us out with spiking practice again?”

Well, he did wish to go and perhaps confirm if they were his soulmates or not so it could be one less thing on his mind, he didn’t think he’d be able to stand it there. Tolerate their passion.

“I’m sorry. I’ll pass.” He said, moving away from the ace.

“Oh. Oh, really? Kuroo!” He heard the boy call to Nekoma’s captain.

There were footsteps, and suddenly Hinata was next to him. “Why?! You know the ace from Fukurōdani?”

He kept his eyes closed as he continued to walk, trying to get rid of the headache that began to form. “No.”

“Why’d you refuse? That’s such a waste!” _Why do you care?_

“Shut up,” He hissed. “Unlike you, I don’t have endless stamina.” He finally moved past the boy.

“What the heck?” He heard Hinata say angrily behind him, but he ignored his fellow first year.

He walked back to the baths in the darkness of the light, completely alone.

* * *

 

“I’m heading out.” Tsukishima’s words surprised no one.

_I’m not staying for extra practice._

“Okay,” Daichi said.

“Good work today.” Suga complemented, and he gave his senpai a slight nod.

“Oi, Tsukishima! We’re gonna be practicing the synchronized attack, so help us out for a sec.” Tanaka offered.

 _Show us your passion,_ He seemed to be saying.

“I can still go, too.” Ennoshita said, “There’ll be three wing spikers, but that’s okay, isn’t it?” Ennoshita walked forwards to meet them, “I wanna get the timing down.”

_Why?_

_You aren’t even a regular, so why do you care? How can you care?_

“Wait,” Tanaka’s eyes widened, “You aren’t trying to become a regular, are you?”

Ennoshita grinned and looked at him with pure determination, “Don’t think I’m gonna warm that bench forever.”

_Why do you work so hard?_

“Bring it on!” Tanaka challenged, and Tsukishima couldn’t stay any longer.

He slipped out apparently unnoticed.

 _It’s_ just _a club._ He thought angrily.

 _“Hey, what’s your position now. Same as junior high?_ _  
_

_“Yeah.”_

_“So you’re the ace!”_

_“Yup!”_

_Lies._

Tsukishima’s whole world had seemingly disappeared when he learned the truth. He could never play volleyball with the same enthusiasm, the same _excitement._

And now he struggled to understand how they could play with such a passion and a hunger for victory.

_It was only a club, but it meant everything to my brother. In the end, it made him tell pointless lies._

_But my brother probably believed that he could be the ace if he tried hard._

_But so what if it did?_

_Would it be worth all of that trouble?_

“Tsukki!” He heard Yamaguchi shout, shocking him out of his thoughts.

He turned to face his freckled soulmate. “What?” He asked as he watched the boy catch his breath, making it clear he had run all this way to intercept him.

“Tsukki, you were always able to do anything while being cool and smart, so I’ve always been jealous.” Yamaguchi started, before hesitating.

“And?” It was clear Yamaguchi did come all this way just to flatter him.

The boy seemed to stiffen with resolve, before straightening, “But you’re being lame lately, Tsukki!” He shouted.  Tsukishima’s eyes widened.

_Lame._

The word carried a bigger meaning between the two of them than it did amongst the rest of the world.

“Hinata might become the Little Giant someday.” He had never seen his soulmate look this angry. This _passionate._ “That just means you have to beat him, Tsukki! You just need to become an even better player than Hinata and prove your skills!”

_Why can’t you understand? You were there._

“You have the height, brains, and instinct, so why do you decide getting any better is impossible?!”

_You’ve always been there._

“Even if,” His voice was the same as always. Monotone. “I worked really hard and became the best player on the Karasuno team, what would happen after that? Even if there’s a tiny chance we might make it to nationals, what happens after that?” _Please understand._ “No matter how high you climb, there’s always someone better. Even if you are able to show some results somewhere, you’ll never _actually_ become number one! You’re gonna lose somewhere!” He lost it at the end. He shouted back.

He _shouted_ at _Yamaguchi._

“You all know that, so how can you keep going?!” He finished, letting all of his confusion out.

Yamaguchi clenched his teeth and tensed, before surging forwards and grabbing Tsukishima by the shirt, “ _What_ do we need besides pride?!” He nearly screamed.

And Tsukishima stared.

He had never seen anything make Yamaguchi act...like _this._

And then it became obvious.

 _They_ weren’t the foolish ones. The one missing something.

_It was him._

“To think this day would come,” He muttered softly, and Yamaguchi backed up, as if suddenly realizing what he had just done. He looked at him fearfully, but Tsukishima just _smiled._

Because only Yamaguchi could tell him how much of an _idiot_ he was like that.

“When did you become so cool?” Yamaguchi’s eyes widened, “You’re actually cool.”

“Tsukki? What’s wrong?” Yamaguchi rushed, having never seen the blond in such a state.

 _If anything, it’s at least better than my worn-out train of thought._ “But I can’t accept that,” He looked up to meet Yamaguchi’s concerned gaze.

_I can’t accept this._

“Huh?” Yamaguchi wondered, obviously confused by his words.  
  
“I need to go… do something.” He told the boy, turning and letting his feet carry him to gym three. Yamaguchi called after him, but he ignored the boy. He could explain later, but if he stopped now he might have time to talk himself out of it.

He stopped when he reached the entrance. That light that seemed to glow brighter than before. The loud sound of spikes seemed to feel more comforting than annoying. The squeak of sneakers seemed to inviting him in.

He crept closer, until he was standing in the doorway.

“Oya?” Akaashi was the first to see him. The boy looked at him, not with surprise but with an unreadable expression. Tsukishima liked to think he was good at reading people.  
  
“Oya oya?” Bokuto added, also seeing him. He was more curious than Akaashi, and also seemingly more amused by his presence.

Bokuto was probably the most naïve out of them all, but he definitely didn't seem stupid. He also seemed to be the one that held the most passion, which may be the reason he was one of the country’s top five spikers.

“Oya oya oya?” Kuroo finished amusedly, and Tsukishima had to fight the urge to roll his eyes. Despite his outward appearance, he seemed to hold a relieved look in his eyes. He was thankful, Tsukishima realIzed, that he hadn't upset the first year too much the other day.

He looked towards Akaashi, knowing the boy probably suspected as much as he had. Sure enough, Akaashi held out his right wrist for Tsukishima to see.

_‘Ke, ‘Ko’ and ‘Te’._

Tsukishima rubbed his soulband self-consciously, and Akaashi rolled his eyes before stepping forwards and grabbing Tsukishima’s wrist.

A dot burned, and suddenly he was reminded of when he first touched Yamaguchi.

_Akaashi Keiji._

_Ke._

“It is you, then,” Tsukishima found himself murmuring, slowly pulling his hand away. Bokuto looked at the two of them with innocent confusion, while Kuroo’s eyes widened as he looked at Akaashi.

“Is h-” Kuroo started, but Tsukishima interrupted him, sticking out his hand for a handshake. Kuroo looked at him, slightly confused by the action.

“Tsukishima _Kei._ ” He formally introduced himself, emphasizing his given name.

Surprise filled Kuroo’s face, but he quickly covered it with a coolness and smirked at the first year. “Kuroo Tetsurō.” He said in kind, reaching out and shaking Tsukishima’s outstretched hand.

_Kuroo Tetsurō._

_Te._

Bokuto still looked confused, and looked between the smirk on Kuroo’s face and the similar one on Tsukishima’s with a childlike curiosity.

Tsukishima reached out his hand to Bokuto’s, who looked at him in confusion but took it. His eyes widened and he froze, staring at their connected hands.

_Bokuto Kōutarō._

_Ko._

He began to nearly _bounce_ in excitement. “It's _you!_ We found you!” He cheered, reaching in to hug Tsukishima in a nearly bone-crushing hug.

And, despite all the confusion and chaos this training camp had brought Tsukishima, he finally felt _found._ He felt at peace.

It was as if had been lost in the dark, and then a door opened to reveal a guiding light. A sanctuary from the cold darkness and confusion.

Or rather, _lights_.

For it suddenly didn't matter that his teammates were working themselves into a frenzy, because Yamaguchi had made him realize it was _him_ who needed reach that moment. To get to the point where he was that passionate about the sport they all shared.

And now he had finally found his soulmates. Those who were literally the people who fit him best in the world romantically.

* * *

 

Tsukishima had four dots. One yellow and three red.

And he loved every single one of them.

 

**Author's Note:**

> My tumblr is xphoenixwritingx.tumblr.com scream at me there please


End file.
